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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. fork — in a road
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. chip — for betting
  8. object — an aim
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. chip — to eat
  11. fine — high quality
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. bound — obliged
  14. bound — certain
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. fine — all right
  17. saw — the tool
  18. object — a thing
  19. dip — to sink
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. bound — tied together
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. object — to protest

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com